Dungy's 'Quiet Strength' Gets Jefferson Students Fired Up About Reading

By JOE HENDERSON The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 9, 2008

TAMPA - Both sides of the Jefferson High gymnasium were packed with stomping, cheering, chattering students early Thursday afternoon. They weren't there for a pep rally or a big game, although you couldn't have guessed that by how excited everyone seemed.

They were there because of a book.

Tony Dungy's book.

And he was there to talk with them.

Yes, the man who lives an indispensable life was doing what he does best. He came to Jefferson because the school used his book "Quiet Strength" to inspire students to read. Dan Bonilla, the principal, got 140 copies of the book into the hands of his teachers, who then read a few pages out loud to kids before every class period over five weeks until they were all the way through.

Every day while this was going on, the teachers and students talked about what had just been read, and then the students read other things on their own. Every time one of them finished a book, they put up a marker in the school lobby. The count is up to about 2,000 now.

"Why did we choose Tony Dungy's book? Because it's him," Bonilla said. "We don't have enough shining stars in America but that man has set the trend in our community."

The trendsetter stood outside the gym, waiting to be introduced. He basically had been treated like a rock star for the previous hour - posing for pictures, shaking hands, signing autographs, giving encouragement to anyone who asked for just a moment in his presence. He handles the spotlight easily.

This was different, though.

"This is a little hard to believe here," he said with a look that suggested he wasn't quite ready for how big this had become. "When we wrote the book, you hoped it might get into the hands of young people and maybe have an impact for good, but to hear how the whole school here read it and how it turned out - it's overwhelming."

Moments later, he entered the gym to a standing ovation.

Still The One

They fight the battle for young minds every day at Jefferson, where 61 percent of the approximately 1,800 students are eligible for free or reduced lunches. These are the people who matter most to Dungy, and you heard story after story here from teachers amazed to see those kids open to his message of peace and respect, a message that came in a book instead of a video game.

The publisher originally figured "Quiet Strength" would sell around 30,000 copies when it was released last July. Within three weeks, though, it was No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list. Sales have topped 900,000 and co-author Nathan Whitaker said there might be a sequel on the way.

We know the hold Dungy still has on our town long after he was fired as head coach of the Bucs and went to Indianapolis, but the intensity of the love and admiration for him still amazes every time you see it.

"He's always smiling. Do you sleep smiling?" teacher Pam Heiling asked just before he headed to the gym.

Rashad Sims and his video crew needed a minute to tape an interview for Jefferson's morning show. The kid handled the task like a pro.

"My No. 1 advice is to work hard," Dungy said in response to a question. "You never know when it will be your day to shine."

People at the reception applauded when Sims finished his interview.

"I was kind of nervous a little bit," he said, "but I took it like a man and got it done."

Then he smiled.

"This is one of the best moments of my life," he said.

He'll Be Back

Back in the gym, Dungy and Whitaker took turns answering questions written on cards pulled from a Jefferson football helmet. Hundreds of questions were submitted. One of them wanted to know when Dungy would be coming back to town for good.

"I'm looking forward to try and win one more Super Bowl before I do that," Dungy told the students.

Then someone asked if anything happened last season that he wished he could include in the book. What followed was vintage Dungy. He seized the opening. He brought up the videotaping scandal with the New England Patriots.

"We talk about how important it is to do things the right way and have integrity so that when you do win, people can never ask that question," he said. "That's the great thing that I'm happy about with our team.

"Yes, we won. But no one is really going to ask, 'Did they cheat? Did they do things the right way?' I think our record speaks for itself and if you're a true champion, that's the way you'd like it to be."

Moments later, it was over and the kids headed back to class. But it is really over? Not a chance. Not with more than 2,000 book markers up on the wall and more on the way. We judge our sports heroes by what's on the scoreboard and this is one time the good guys are winning.

Everyone can go to sleep with a smile over that one.